Laid-off Kentuckian creates Facebook page to showcase the state's small-town wonders

Since being laid off in 2009, Western Kentucky native Cory Ramsey has gotten back to nature, taking 225 hikes throughout the state. What he has found off-the-beaten path is that rural Kentucky is a world of wonders waiting to be discovered. Ramsey told The Associated Press, "I'm 32 ... and there are still places I've not ever seen because I used to just travel the parkways and four-lane roads. But you get a mile or two off those roads ... and there are a lot of places to see." (Ramsey photo: Bridge across Clover Creek in the Ohio River town of Cloverport)

Ramsey is sharing his discoveries with the rest of the world through a Facebook page called Map Dot, Kentucky, in which he posts photos of his journeys and encourages people to respond to his posts with their own thoughts of small-town life. The site, which was created on Aug. 2, had 2,445 likes as of Wednesday morning. Ramsey has also been featured in Kentucky Living magazine, and contributes blog entries to the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet website. Ramsey also has his own website.

"Ramsey focuses on the places where people don't pay an admission fee; there is no gift shop or a specific attraction. Instead, he visits the places that allow you to imagine the way things might have been or see the way they are now," AP reports. "Ramsey plans to revisit all 120 counties in Kentucky this year. So far he has made it to 75 of them, and next year he will publish a book about his travels." (Read more)